Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Denise Hawkins on February 17, 2009 at 3:54pm

Our first Corgi Basil hated the car, and would throw up just walking past it if the door was open, until we got a newer car, and used the Air conditioning.
Archie and Reggie love the car, they travel in the hatch back boot of the car ( I have a Toyota Corolla), on a travel blanket, and they love it, since they think they are always going somewhere nice. They know to stay sitting or lying down, and on the odd occasion that they do stretch up and try and look over the passenger seats, they get told to get down.
They are NEVER allowed to sit on my lap when I am driving and the thought of them flying through the air if I brake suddenly, scares me witless. Also I dont want "Flying Corgi" as my cause of death!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Dadisman on February 17, 2009 at 5:42pm

Rosie and Rocky wear seat belt harnesses and ride in the back seat of my HHR. My husband made a wooden platform that sits on the seat and has legs under it in the front for stability. He covered it with a piece of carpet and put a divider down the center (like between the seats) because Rosie doesn't like Rocky laying on her. She is sooo picky about that. The dogs are very happy there. They have plenty of room to lie down and move. They can see out by just putting their front feet on the door handle. Rocky likes a pillow on his side, but Rosie is happier with just the carpet. They each know their own side. We have used the harnesses since they were babies and they have no problems with them. I drove to GA by myself with the dogs in December and it was great to know I could open the doors and the dogs couldn't escape. I just leave the harnesses on them when we make pit stops as it saves time. I just unsnap the seat belt after I have clipped the leash to their collar. I got the harnesses on eBay and they were very reasonable. Worth every penny for the peace of mind and safety of Rocky and Rosie.

Something to remember---never fasten the seat belt to your dog's collar. They could get seriously injured or strangle in a sudden stop or collision. Always use a harness for fastening to the seat belt attachment.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alex on February 23, 2009 at 1:49pm

Do you have a picture of this platform? My husband is pretty good at making things too (he made a dog ramp for the bed in the past), and I would like to show it to him... and eventually have him make it! :) Thanks!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Dadisman on February 23, 2009 at 4:46pm

I'm not sure I could get a good picture so I'll describe it. My husband cut a piece of 1/4" plywood the width of the back seat from door to door and the distance from the backrest of the back seat to the backside of the front seat. He pushed the front seats all the way back since that's where they need to be for his long legs. He put 2 long bolts on the front side where he would put the legs. He stapled a cheap piece of carpet on the plywood going around to the back of it on the long sides so the wood wouldn't rub the seats. He the took a scrap of 2x4 as high as we thought we needed it to keep Rosie from going over it to invade Rocky's space and put it in the middle of the platform (from the front of the car to the back direction wise) and screwed the pieces together from the underside (non carpet side) of the platform. The legs are just some 2x2 boards with uprights where the long bolts are.He cut 2 pieces to fit from under the platform to the floor of the backseat and 2 boards that go from leg to leg to keep the legs stable. He just used screws to put this together. It looks like an H with an extra crossbar. Be sure it will clear the hump in your back seat floor. He drilled a hole in each upright for the bolt to slide into. The bolt needs to be able to slide out easily when you lift the platform out when you don't need it in the backseat. I can take the platform and legs out if I'm going to have some human in the backseat. The platform lifts off the legs and then the legs come out. When I went to GA, I could store stuff under the platform around the legs. You wouldn't want to put stuff in there that you would need often but I was taking stuff for a month long stay and could put stuff under there that I wouldn't need until I got there. It worked just great for me and the troops. They really enjoyed the extra room. We made the divider higher after we got there because Rosie just stepped over the first divider. It's now about 6-8" high and she stays on her own side but they can still see each other and see into the front seat since the front seat has a counsel in the middle of it. They are very content back there in their seat belt harnesses.

Hope this helps. I will try for a picture if necessary but am not sure if it would show what you would need to see (if that makes any sense).

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Judi, Dawn, Soffie & Griffyn on February 23, 2009 at 4:52pm

Both Soffie and Griffyn sit in the back seat and they are harnessed and seat-belted in. I wear a seat belt for safety reasons, and my child did too---I think it makes sense for my two babies now. They don't fight the idea, and seem happy.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mariana on February 23, 2009 at 5:09pm

Ofelia is always in her crate. A couple of months back my boyfriend and I got into a car accident - the blog post is on my page - and Ofelia was in the car with us. At that time putting her in the crate was only a once-in-a-while thing. I was so fortunate that she was in the crate that night because it was a bad collision. Ever since then it's not longer a once-in-a-while thing. She's always in the crate. The crate is in the passenger side back seat (it gets moved between my cavalier and my boyfriend's town car), and the front passenger seat is pushed back as far as it goes so that there's as little room as possible for the crate to move. I also strap the crate in with the seatbelt as best I can. I'm just too paranoid about getting into another accident. If she had been running in the back seat that night she would have gone flying. And if she had been in my lap the air bag could have injured or killed her. If she had been at my feet she could have been crushed.

To avoid too much trouble I keep a crate permanently in the car. So it's easy to get her in and out. She has toys, a cusion, and something to chew on at all times. And she's such a darling in there. During our six hour rides to my family's place in Maryland, she never makes a single peep! Every since the accident she does show hesitation getting in the car, but I always try to make it as positive an experience as I can - lots of treats! :-) I haven't tried doggie seat belts.

I know it's so cute to have them in the passenger seat. I used to love it. But it's just not worth the risk I think.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by CaptainCorgi on February 23, 2009 at 5:19pm

Our dogs (one big and one small) stay in the way back of our minivan. We put the back seat down into the ground and keep them back there and they are not allowed to come into the front or on people's laps. Even though our corgi could easily fit on someone's lap, it's not fair to our other big dog to be in the back while the small dog has a comfy place on someone's lap. So they just stay loose in the very back, they seem to like it and it gives them room to lay down and sleep too. :-)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sondra on February 23, 2009 at 6:55pm

We crated Corie until she out grew her crate, so now she wears a harness and is attached to the seat belt in the back seat, she can still see out the window. Sometimes if I drive, my husband will hold her. I much prefer she be teathered to the seat belt...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ann B., Scout and Summer on February 23, 2009 at 7:16pm

Wow! I can't believe the people who drive with their corgis on their laps! This is SO dangerous--not just for the corgi! And having the dog in the front seat is a bad idea, too. I used to drive with Scout loose in the back seat, but he was always climbing onto the console between the front seats, and this was very distracting for me. Also, our vet said to keep him crated or confined in some way, because in an accident, he could become a "flying missile" and be injured or killed. I bought one of the "slings" for the back seat, and it keeps him out of the front. Or I crate him--he hates this on around town trips, but on long trips, he is very content. I might try the harness thing, so he can have a little more mobility.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chelle on February 24, 2009 at 1:48pm

Micah generally has freedom of the back seat, but I always make sure to drive extra careful so I don't toss her around. Every now and then i'll have her in the front passenger seat, but she always tries to crawl in my lap so I don't allow her in the front seat as much. Micah's a hearty girl, especially living with the cat that I have, so i don't worry too much about bumps and bruises if she accidentally falls off the seat when someone cuts in front of me and i have to stop suddenly. I do check her to make sure she's ok, but she's almost always right back at the window, rubbing her nose prints all over the glass.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by DR, Nala & Simon on March 6, 2009 at 11:49am

Somebody at work was talking about a car accident that involved a dog. Also I kept thinking in Zak story (the dog whose owner passed away while driving and the community is trying to send Zak with the relatives) . It kept bothering my mind with "what ifs" so I did a search on the web. I found this website: www. wagn4u.com which has some links that are related to this thread. Here are the links. Hopefully it would be useful.

http://www.roverrespondr.com In case of an accident, they'll make sure to contact a person you trust instead of a shelter. Just in case you can not make a decision yourself, they will call the person you decided. The program requires a fee, right now they have a special.

http://www.wagn4u.com/ for first aid kits, emergency situations and evacuation kits.

http://www.wagn4u.com/no_pets_left_unbuckled_campaign.html A campaign that actually lets the owner know why pets should be restrained in the car. It has a video and more important info.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by carol on March 8, 2009 at 12:24am

I have wondered a lot about this too. lately, just going to the vet mostly, I just loop her leash around and through the headrest of the passenger side. that way I have control of the tension, but can still keep a hand on her to calm her down. she is just 4 1/2 months old. but the mat with grippers sounds like a good addition to my routine. thanks

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• …
• 10
• Next ›
• Page